Former CIA Director will not be demoted over scandal: Pentagon
The Pentagon has decided not to demote retired US Army General David Petraeus and former CIA Director for leaking classified information to his biographer while still serving in uniform.
According to a January 29 letter from the Pentagon to Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), Petraeus who was forced to resign in a sex-and-secrets scandal in 2012, will not receive any further punishment regarding the issue.
"As you know, the Army completed its review of his case and recommended no additional action,” Stephen C. Hedger, the assistant secretary of defense for legislative affairs, wrote in a letter obtained by The Hill. “Given the Army review, Secretary Carter considers this matter closed."
The Pentagon letter was in response to one written to US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter by McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), ranking member, urging him not to retroactively demote Petraeus after reports that he was considering it.
Carter’s decision effectively ended a long and embarrassing period of uncertainty for Petraeus, one of the Army’s most venerated leaders before his reputation was tarnished by the scandal.
The retired general was given two years' probation and fined $100,000 in 2015 over the matter following a guilty plea in a US court.
The former CIA director was charged with giving highly classified information to his biographer and mistress, Paula Broadwell, back in 2012. The information reportedly came in the form of eight black books which he had compiled while serving as commander of US forces in Afghanistan.
Court papers said all the eight books “collectively contained classified information regarding the identities of covert officers, war strategy, intelligence capabilities and mechanisms, diplomatic discussions, quotes and deliberative discussions from high-level National Security Council meetings… and discussions with the president of the United States.”
Petraeus served as CIA director from September 2011 to November 2012. Prior to that, Petraeus served as the US commander in Afghanistan from June 2010 until July 2011.
He retired in 2011 with the rank of a four-star general, the highest rank a US Army officer can achieve.
US troops begin construction of controversial pier off Gaza
Tabas sand defeats US military
'US secretly sent long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine in recent weeks'
Tehran economic conference: Raeisi hails Iran-Africa expansion of ties
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
Severe heat wave hits India as phase 2 of polling begins
What to expect after President Raeisi's visit to Pakistan
China describes Iran as ‘strategic partner' in West Asia
April 25: ‘Axis of Resistance’ operations against Israeli occupation
Hezbollah hits Israeli military sites near border with rockets, drones
Rwandans say UK deportation 'another brutal manifestation of neo-colonialism'
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
